A Hampshire county councillor warned environmental chiefs of a "rebellion from the villages" if they rejected calls to reinstate parish lengthsmen.

Lengthsmen were deployed across the county until the late 1960s maintaining stretches of road.

Their tasks included clearing drains, ditches and culverts, pothole repairs, hedge trimming and road sign repairs.

They were phased out as highway maintenance became more centralised and tasks were undertaken with mechanical plant.

But parish chiefs in rural areas have been calling for them to make a comeback, saying local roads have suffered because of the lack of this vital maintenance work. Blocked culverts have made flooding problems worse, they argue.

In response to a request from Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils, the county council undertook a feasibility study on the reintroduction of lengthsmen on a parish basis.

The report looked at an existing scheme in Wiltshire, where lengthsmen have been reinstated after public pressure.

The Wilts scheme costs £600,000 per year to run. It estimated that a similar scheme in Hampshire would cost £1m a year.

County officials concluded it would be better to strengthen contacts with parish councils and keep the present arrangements.

The report said: "The Wiltshire scheme has been very much member-led and has been well-received by parishes, although it is not perceived as an economic use of resources by officers."

But councillor, Michael Woodhall, told environmental chief, Keith Estlin: "If this hits the press, there will be a rebellion from the villages."

The Tory member for Stockbridge and Wellow said he got "a lot of flak" when he attended parish council meetings because of problems such as blocked culverts. "They want lengthsmen - with local knowledge - back on the job.

He said one parish council in his patch had taken the "extreme" step of employing young offenders as lengthsmen.

After his plea, Mr Estlin, put the matter on hold, saying county councillors in rural areas should be consulted before a decision was made.

At present, highway maintenance is carried out by 17 gangs - with local supervisors - who carry out similar tasks to lengthsmen. Total spend for 2001/2002 was £1.2m in 240 parishes.

But communication between supervisors and parishes varies from regular close contact to little or none at all.